I do like Diane Chamberlain. I know that every time I open one of her books I am going to get a page turner with characters whose lives I can get really involved in, and this is no exception.In 1967 at a commune on Big Sur, a visiting doctor, Carlynn Shire, saved the life of a new born baby girl. Now, they are going to be reunited in a story that twists and turns with so many different angles. Joelle is a social worker and caught between a rock and a hard place. Her oldest, dearest friend Mara is lying in a nursing home bed suffering from brain damage and Joelle herself is pregnant. The father of her baby is Liam, Mara’s husband. What a position to be in!As Joelle’s story unfolds, Carlynn’s story is also unfolding in the background. I really enjoyed reading about Carlynn, her life and work and about her relationship with her twin sister Lisbeth as well as their loves and marriages. Their story starts in 1937 when they are seven years old and comes all the way to present times, when Carlynn and Joelle are reunited.It is a story that will keep you turning the pages certainly and one that will ask you to believe the unbelievable. I did have a few misgivings about the twist that comes at the end of the story, but on the whole I thoroughly enjoyed the read, which I believe is titled Cypress Point in USA.
Another good Diane Chamberlain book originally titled Cypress Point, The Shadow Wife is a re-release. This story about the moral dilemmas surrounding one's commitment to a brilliant woman who is now essentially brain dead due to a brain aneurysm is still well done. Her best friend and her husband must soldier on with their lives, and through sharing so much, eventually fall in love. Add a beautiful young toddler to the mix and then an impending birth due to a one-night stand, and you already have the makings of a good book. But then Chamberlain adds the twist of the "faith healer" Carlynn Shire - - and the two stories, set forth in alternating fashion, make this a real page turner. Something that I absolutely loved about this book was that we were in the San Francisco Bay area when I read it, and so much of it is set there and in the Monterey Peninsula. Chamberlain has a gift for evoking mental pictures of settings, and she did an outstanding job with that in this book!
What do You think about Cypress Point (2003)?
Joelle's best friend is in permanent care due to a brain aneurysm during labor. Joelle is now pregnant by the husband of her best friend. Believing that what is best for everyone is have Mara healed, she contacts a well known healer, the woman who brought Joelle back to life. Carlynn agrees to help heal Mara knowing full well that Mara isn't the one in need of healing. What made this novel so interesting is that it was so much more than about mystical healing. It covered race relations, twin relations, communes and, ultimately, the power of love. It was comforting and enjoyable.
—Jodi
I love Diane Chamberlain's books. I often read a few and then forget about her. I recently found 3 of her stories that I haven't read. This is one of them. Two very close female friends have gone through everything together, including Joelle finding the perfect man for Mara. Joelle just happens to work with the man who does marry Mara. All of them spend a lot of time together. When Mara becomes pregnant, something unsuspected but devastating occurs. Mara can not take care of her child so her husband does his best. With the help of Joelle, the two of them spend their time with Mara and with the baby and in their stressful jobs.There is a back story (which always makes the book interesting) The reader finds out about Joellen's birth and childhood. At some point, what happened to Joellen many years ago comes up and is used to help Mara.The ending isn't what the reader may expect but it all works out well.
—Terri
We discovered this author when we went into a bookstore in the Outer Banks. We were interested because the book that we picked up too place in the Outer Banks. Later, I happened to find two more of her books (hardcover) at Sam's Club and they were both only $4.38! The one I read was good so I figured I would buy these. My daughter borrowed and read this one and really enjoyed it so I think I will read this one next!I have now completed this book and enjoyed it. The story held some surprises for me as I read along further. Nice character development. It was worth reading.
—Ruth
